The ketogenic diet, or simply the keto diet, is a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat. Recently, it is rapidly gaining popularity.
The ketogenic diet has been shown to provide tremendous health benefits, including weight loss. So many people follow this diet to achieve their weight loss goals.
Although studies show that a ketogenic diet can help you lose excess body fat, there have been no long-term studies that support its effectiveness.
This article examines the effectiveness of the keto diet for weight loss.
Promotes weight loss?
When you follow a traditional ketogenic diet, your carbohydrate intake is limited to less than 5-10% of your total daily caloric intake.
This helps the body reach ketosis, a state in which it switches to using fat instead of carbohydrates as its main source of energy. Ketones are produced in the liver.
Carbohydrate deficiency is usually compensated by an increased fat intake of up to about 80% of calories, which is 155-200 grams for a 2000 calorie diet.
Protein intake is low - usually about 20% of calories, which is 100 grams for a 2000 calorie diet.
Although long-term studies have never been done, there are several known mechanisms for weight loss caused by the ketogenic diet.
Reduced feelings of hunger
One of the main weight loss mechanisms associated with the ketogenic diet is likely to be its ability to reduce hunger.
The keto diet causes a decrease in the level of ghrelin, which is one of the main hormones in the human body that increases the feeling of hunger.
Reducing ghrelin production and reducing the feeling of hunger can lead to the fact that a person will consume fewer calories during the day and this will definitely cause weight loss.
A study conducted on a group of 20 obese people on a keto diet confirmed the link between this diet and a reduction in cravings for food and alcohol.
The keto diet can be an effective tool for reducing hunger levels. However, its long-term safety must be taken into account.
Weight loss support
Another possible mechanism of weight loss in a keto diet is water loss, which is caused by a measurable reduction in carbohydrate intake.
This is because the carbohydrates that accumulate in the human body retain water.
When carbohydrate intake is reduced, as in the initial phase of the keto diet, stored carbohydrates are released along with retained fluids and this leads to weight loss.
Calorie balance
In order to understand if a ketogenic diet can help you lose those unwanted pounds, it is important to look at how weight loss is usually achieved.
To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns. In other words, calorie deficiency is the main condition for losing excess weight.
A study of 17 obese or overweight men found that the keto diet resulted in a moderate increase in calories burned. However, this did not lead to an increase in body fat loss compared to the results of the traditional basic diet.
These results show that the ketogenic diet is not always superior to the traditional diet for weight loss, given the same amount of calories consumed.
Thus, the weight loss effect of the keto diet is most likely the result of consuming fewer calories due to the alleviation of hunger associated with the high fat and very low carbohydrate diet in the daily diet.
conclusionThe keto diet helps to lose extra pounds, although the exact mechanisms by which this effect is achieved remain unclear. Studies show that weight loss caused by the keto diet is likely to be due to a lack of calories, reduced levels of hunger and water weight loss.
Keto supplements
As the keto diet grows in popularity, there are many supplements on the market that are designed for keto diets, and some of them can help with weight loss.
List of the best keto supplements with a description of their features:
- MCT oil (MCT oil). This medium chain triglyceride oil helps people on a ketogenic diet to add more fat to their diet and stay in ketosis. This oil is absorbed faster than traditional fats, but can have side effects that affect the digestive system.
- Exogenous ketones (Exogenous ketones). The supplement is an external source of ketones that supplement the endogenous ketones that are naturally produced in the body. They help increase the level of ketones in the blood, thus accelerating the achievement of a ketotic state.
- Keto protein powders (keto-protein powders). These protein powders are characterized by a reduced carbohydrate content.
- Keto electrolytes (ketoelectrolytes). Electrolyte deficiency is common in the early stages of the keto diet. It is caused by a decrease in body fluid content. Keto electrolytes can help prevent deficiencies in common electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and magnesium.
- Digestive enzymes (digestive enzymes). Due to the high intake of fatty foods during the keto diet, some people may experience digestive problems. Digestive enzyme supplements, specifically lipase, help break down fats.
It is worth noting that research on the effects of ketogenic supplements on weight loss is limited.
A study in mice looked at the viability of exogenous ketones as a weight loss supplement. As a result, some exogenous ketones as well as MCT oil have been found to promote weight loss by reducing hunger and continuing to consume fewer calories.
However, there are no human studies to support these claims.
Although keto supplements are optional, they can help keto dieters switch to this rather restrictive diet and increase their adaptability to the diet.
However, it is worth considering the use of these supplements due to limited research, which does not allow conclusions about their safety in the long run.
conclusion: MCT oil and exogenous ketones can help you get to ketosis faster and avoid many of the side effects associated with ketopathy. However, despite the fact that they also reduce hunger, their use as a weight loss supplement is not recommended.
Other factors that can affect weight loss
To achieve the best results when following a keto diet for weight loss, you need to consider the following number of factors.
The exact amount of carbohydrates consumed
Monitoring the exact amount of carbohydrates you consume daily can facilitate the transition to a ketogenic diet.
This will help ensure that you get to ketosis relatively quickly and prevent some of the symptoms associated with so-called 'ketoglyph', which is a group of symptoms, including headaches and confusion, associated with starting a keto diet.
If you eat a lot of carbs, you will not get ketosis and the potential benefits of dieting, including weight loss, will be reduced.
Consumption of less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day is sufficient to cause ketosis in any person.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is an aspect that is often overlooked in any diet. Research shows that sleep deprivation and constant stress can have a negative impact on weight loss results. This also applies to the keto diet.
Research shows that sleep deprivation can negatively affect hunger hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. This, in turn, can lead to increased appetite, offsetting the effects of the keto diet that reduce hunger.
Taking care to rest and sleep at least 7 hours a day can help you support the positive effects that come with a ketogenic diet.
You lead an active lifestyle
While the keto diet alone can lead to weight loss, combining it with the right exercise program can enhance the result.
While adapting to the diet, the body can use fat as the main source of energy for exercise. Studies show that most fat is burned during endurance exercise.
It is important to note that you need to be well-adjusted to your keto diet before starting any moderate-intensity exercise. This will prevent unwanted side effects.
conclusionWhen it comes to weight loss with the keto diet, a number of additional factors need to be considered, such as accurate carbohydrate intake, sleep patterns and exercise.
Strict dietary adherence to the keto diet
One of the main disadvantages of the keto diet is the need to strictly adhere to the established diet for a long time.
Due to the fact that this strict diet is quite restrictive, some people find it difficult to adhere to it.
This is especially problematic when eating out or hanging out with family and friends over the holidays and forcing yourself to switch to a different diet which can lead to reduced weight loss results.
Also, do not forget about the lack of research on the health effects of long-term keto diet.
You should definitely consider these factors before embarking on a keto diet.
conclusion: You may find it difficult to follow the keto diet in the long run due to its restrictive nature. Eating out and other situations may require special perseverance and preparation.
Result
The keto diet is a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat. It has been found to provide various health benefits, including weight loss.
Although the exact weight loss mechanisms directly related to this diet are still under study, it has been found that weight loss is caused by a lack of calories, reduced hunger and water loss.
Keto supplements can reduce hunger and help you achieve ketosis in no time. However, their use for weight loss is not recommended.
Although the benefits of the keto diet for weight loss may seem reassuring, it is important to consider its potential side effects, disadvantages, and lack of long-term research.